


Bitter as bile

by InYourDreamsBirdboy



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, Slow Burn, a rare ship, dreamers can only dream, hope so, slum's romance, the remake is messing with my memories in a good way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23614477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InYourDreamsBirdboy/pseuds/InYourDreamsBirdboy
Summary: The story of a young Avalanche member who struggled with the things that he'll never say and a shy country girl with a deep grudge told through different characters who witnessed the sparks of true love but couldn't sense the fire.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Biggs
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Bitter as bile

_“War changes people. It takes everything we have and ruins our futures. Tears off every piece we’d gathered together, every bridge and connection we settled down, drizzling salt and vengeance into the very wounds to nip in the bud any hope we bestow towards our kind._

_War is dreadful, heinous, and it never stops. That’s our sin, our penance, and our end."_

“She’ll be alright,” a boy, not much older than my most precious student interrupts my train of thought as I behold her despondent figure bedridden and suffering. I’ve never seen her skin so pale. My poor child has endured this far to die on dirty linens, and I blame myself.

“Doc’s one of the best, ya know?”

He’s still around -the boy in green clothes with spiky hair. Has been beside me since I entered the clinic, but I ignored him then, just as I’m trying now weren’t his hands stopping me from bursting in the CCU.

“Let go!” I growl but the boy is persistent -I’ll give him that- though nobody beats me to the punch in tenacity.

“Your daughter’s in the right hands so quit griping, old bloke,” his eyes have the fire of youth and bear witness to a life spent working against odds, that much I can tell after a quick peek. Still, beyond first impressions, there’s also a flame of faith looking back at my dying flesh and I wonder why?

“You’re injured too, right?” he says grabbing me by the shoulder with little care for manners. My gut wants to punch him senseless but I can’t. He walks me through the corridor away from the granddaughter I’ll never have.

“C’mon, there’s nothing else one can do ‘side getting better,” he pushes me in the wrong direction and I lose sight of her. “Let ‘em take a look while you wait.”

She has barely survived the trip here, and now we’re obliged to seek treatment in the slums.

I can see no future whatsoever. She’s doomed and it’s all my fault.

“Didn’t come this far to save my leg!” I say, and the boy releases me -the hint of a smug grin growing in his face.

 _Shiva helps me_ , I’ll knock the wind out of him before hearing another--

* * *

_“Sector’s 5 got too many cripples and waifs to further raise the number.”_

It’s been a week since our encounter happened and I’m beginning to understand the boy’s concern. The way he carried those words when we met makes me think he’s an orphan, _that,_ and the lack of patronymic, what else? He names himself Biggs, locals call him that too and nothing else. People around cares about the boy and scold me for not _liking_ him. What can I say, I’ve seen too many dreamers in my life, and the only thing they’re good at is dreaming.

He said Tifa will be alright, and she’s still in a coma. He also said this sector was accumulating the likes of what she and I have become. Guess we’re adding a fair deal to the sum now -much to his distress.

I’m thinking all this while I look for him through my window. Turns to be part of my daily routine, who would have thought?

He works at the Leaf House, some sort of an orphanage adjoins to a little green patch in the far side of Sector 5’s undercity, just at the end of the ‘street’ and about a few meters from the clinic. Can’t help but connect the location with the destruction of the 6th plate a year ago as if it’s been placed there to accommodate the kids while feeding their trauma.

“Biggs’ with the neighborhood watch,” someone announces behind me and I turn around to face my doctor -what a surprise. He’s coming my way, slowly; has the restraint of a well-trained martial artist yet he chose to save lives in a different way.

Makes me wonder if our paths aren’t that far apart…

He joins me at the window and pokes the glass to greet a few ragamuffins playing outside while plucking up the elders’ morale. They smile widely at him until I come to frame, then bitter faces give me the finger and run away. What a twist! So, I’ve turned into the villain because of that punk, huh?

“He wanted to ask if you would let him pay you a visit sometime.”

“No!” I reply instantly. “I’m working on getting an ID to get the girl above and make sure she’ll recover from this.”

“And, ‘letting him come by’ steps in your plans because…?”

Doctor here thinks he knows me but he doesn’t. I’ve been ‘round and kicking since I was Biggs’s age. I’ve traveled the world, north and south, east and west. I was older before Tifa was born, so I’m even older now, and there’s nobody in Gaia that can bring hope back to my aching bones with _their_ talking. Not even him.

“I’m past chatting, Doctor… Not gonna let a charlatan waste my time.”

* * *

Days pass by and Tifa’s still dormant.

Nurses are very attentive to her, and the doctor too, while all I do is brush her bangs to the left and then to the right. I’m afraid I’ve done it so many times that she’ll get bald or grew a big forehead, either way, she’ll kick my ass when she wakes up. She ought to.

In other news, the whole med team has partnered on a _secret_ array with locals to get me out on the streets and take a rest, but I refuse to leave her side. I can’t! I’d never forgiven myself if she-- My sweet child cannot die, not yet. Not without putting up a fight as I taught her.

“Hey, old bloke, how’s that leg of yours?”

It can’t be true.

It’s been ten days since I’d punched him in the face and the bruise is still there, alas fading but showing. Fancying it’ll be enough to soothe him was far from right.

“Beat it, boy. I’m not in the mood to deal with your likes.”

“Well, that makes two of us, ‘cause I’m _really_ disappointed.”

Oh, the gall. This punk had it coming a long time ago, that’s it. Can’t he let us be without interfering as if we were a welfare project he’d undertaken for Zangan here is no charitable work, and would never be one!

My body is turning towards him with the haste of time materia, feet swiping into position and hips following behind when my heel betrays me, and I groan in pain.

“Easy there,” Biggs’ coming my way with a smug grin, and is supporting my left side before I can do a thing about it. “Don’t be hasty or else Doc would’ve to cut your leg off.”

He successfully provokes me, just brings it out in me somehow, and I’m unable to fight back or break free from his grip. I’m weak, mind revving. There’s nothing I can do besides breath through the anger thrumming in my blood.

“See? That’s better.” He cuts me loose and watches me from a safe distance- has learned from the blow? “Now, how ya doin’? See any progress?”

_Progress?!_

“I’m stuck with a plate for a sky and sun lamps tricking my inner clock while my leg gives up on living just like she does!” Never thought I would be into this denouement myself with my best student. I sigh, me disabled, and her comatose… not the greatest picture at all; didn’t even cross my mind that my winter days will be so ominous…

Damn, blast it all!

“Next time you see me, keep a very wide berth, boy.”

That’s my last warning to him and the grin he features seems kind of sincere, wrapping around me like a silken thread for a moment, _just_ _a brief moment._

* * *

I’ve been guarding her once lithe body like a wrath hound day and night, but I’m of no use bowed down and on my hands. The whole situation prompts me to think that I’ll not suppose myself at all wanted, nor needed. I’m just an old man with health delusions -can’t help the feeling. If only I’d watch out before jumping into the reactor but—she was in danger, couldn’t stand a chance against the great war hero! Not even I had one, though it mattered little then.

My throat burns and anger reaches my eyes, “What would I give to see me rid of this hideous limp and hear your raspy laugh once again, sweet child…” I’m clogged with unshed tears. Eyes watered. Can’t see her features, her life ebbing away, her--

“Still asleep I presume,” that voice...

Tears shimmer in my eyes and I blink them away before the punk sees me. Biggs’ leaning against the door frame, arms across his chest. I thought I heard him smothering a smug grin but his face shows… concern?

Interesting. I’m nodding at his remark and he approaches us but stops short. I’m guessing still nervous about the outcome, should tell him I’m tired to punch him a third time but all I’m thinking is that I failed her, “Should’ve kept a cool head, spared those ethers for later…” my hand finds Tifa’s cold fingers and a shiver runs down my spine. Where did her warmth go? Did it vanish along with her father?

“I’m betting the situation called for a quick mind then--”

Biggs reads through me, senses my pain and sorrow but, unlike me, he harbors what I cannot. I see why locals care about him, why the doctor wanted me to have him ‘round…

“What’s done is done, man. Don’t blame yourself, it tampers your recovery.”

But his set phrases won’t work wonders with me or Tifa, “I’ve tampered hers!” I say, and I believe in those words. I wasn’t prepared for the blaze and the charred bodies. Nobody was! Still, could’ve done better, be faster and stronger and--

“Is that so?” he’s tireless in trying to make me look back with different eyes, with another perspective. Must be easier to spot my actions in hindsight, huh? Though it won’t be hard to blame my mistakes and call into question my decisions at the time as well, because, at the very end, I chose to bring her here instead of Rocket Town, wasting her precious time for nothing.

“For an old bloke, you came through.”

“Pardon me?”

“Yes, your daughter is in a coma yet her vitals are stable, and that’s thanks to you so there’s still room for hope.”

Oh, boy, if only…

* * *

Tonight, I slept like the dead. It’s been a while since the last time I have a good rest, and perhaps I’d to thank Biggs after all.

“How’s she?”

Perish my later thought, this punk is a genuine pain in the ass. He’s been poking his head around every so often I can’t even recall the days when he acted like a skittery kitten before me. Now he’s with us when I least expect him. Will provoke me a heart attack as well at this rate and his manners! He leaves so much to be desired…

“In a coma! Can’t you see it for yourself?!”

I swear on my honor as a warrior, what I say now is the absolute truth. This boy gets on my nerves and burns me up to my limit break like a fury ring in the middle of a battle, and I’m not even wearing one!

“Must be frustrating, huh?”

“You bet…”

What’s he doing? What does he want? Isn’t there a damsel in distress crying for his help? If I try hard enough I think I can hear them screaming!

“What was her name again?”

Damnit… the closest damsel in distress is “Tifa. Tifa Lockhart.”

“Hmm… never heard that one before. How did ya come with it?”

Ha! “I didn’t,” I say, and he looks curious.

“Was your wife then?”

No, boy, “She’s not my daughter.” I tell him. We’re not related by blood, and honestly, doubt she’ll ever think about me like family, though I do care for her as if there were strings attached.

“I’m Zangan. I travel the world teaching children martial arts, and she’s my most precious student.”

“I see…” there’s a flap on in his tone, and he circles the bed, eyes glued to her body and a hand framing his chin as if in deep thought. Could have bluffed me through if I didn’t know him better. Could even--

“So she’s a fighter, huh?”

Yes! “The best that’ll ever be.” I nod at my own line. Tifa surpassed all my expectations after a short train period, standing out from above my other 127 students with ease. She was good, damn she was great! Every kid started out as if the fervor would last forever, and she was the only one that pursued the pinnacle of her strength with equal vigor, though hers lasted till the end. She was a diamond in the rough of Nibelheim so yes, she’s a fighter, the better that’s to be.

“Then she has to fight back that slumber to thank you properly, don’t ya think?”

Uh?! “What’s gotten into you?” I ask; uncertainty draws me out from my inner monologue as I watch him lean over her. Gloved hands touching her shoulders and then, he shakes her body, ever so gentle, I can’t stop him.

“Hey, Tifa, darling, you’ve got everybody all worried. Think you can fix it for me?”

Biggs’ hands won’t stop at the cold of her skin, those gloves protect him from the shivers and the fear of feeling a dying girl. He pushes her, softly, and I ask, “What are you doing?” my voice unwavering this time, but he shushes me, and whispers back, “I’m helping!” before turning again to Tifa to shake her body briskly.

“C’mon, all you have to do is wake up, girl.”

He’s forcing a response, a spasm, anything! I don’t know why didn’t I think of doing it myself earlier. Should’ve tried sooner, should— Biggs’ still on top of her, shaking her body as if it were the most normal thing in the world, and I’m holding off judgment till the picture in front of me makes sense because I can’t believe what I’m witnessing with my own eyes.

“See that?” he says to me when the readings of her vitals spike and my jaw drops. “Good girl, I knew you could hear us! Just keep fighting, Tifa. We need you awake and running before this old bloke croaks, you hear me?” Biggs gibberish works and I could care less about what he’s saying because she’s responding to his wild rattle.

“Yes! You’re doing great, just fight it on a little bit more. Better you than Zangan ‘cause he’s too old and weak to do it for ya.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels good to be back again, this covid hit me harder than I thought and the writer's block wasn't helping either.  
> Guess I owe one to my very first videogame and its (re)make/reboot (¬‿¬ )  
> Hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it (≧◡≦) ♡


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